Tasting Note No.37
A brand owned and made by NUGAN ESTATE. All up, there are 50 thousand cases of wine marketed under the Cookoothama label, the Darlington Point vineyard is 310 hectares, established in 1996. The label is fairly distinctive with the two hands print.
Grapes were hand picked from hand pruned vines from the Darlington Point vineyard, 30 kms out of Griffith. Grapes were foot crushed (pigeage) and the wine matured in French oak. Winemaker John Quarisa knows what merlot is all about.
Colour cherry red. Fragrant nose of red berries, plum and cherry. the palate is medium bodied with DISTINCTIVE MERLOT CHARACTERS. Good concentrated fruit, clean and smooth raspberry-cherry taste. Excellent drying, grainy oak on the finish. Drink now to 2008. A tighthly focussed very well balanced wine that is surprisingly good quality at AU $22+, do not hesitate if you are a merlot fan. It's a standard, good red for red wine drinkers but it is OUTSTANDING among merlots as it has clear varietal definition at this price range.
Tasted:March 2004